EASLEY, S.C. — Nothing was ordinary for the CARS Tour as both divisions took part in Saturday’s Puryear Tank Lines 225 pres. by Harrison’s Workwear at Greenville-Pickens Speedway.
From power outages to intense racing, the drivers of the CARS Late Model Stock Car and Pro Late Model Tours faced every obstacle imaginable as they battled each other on track and the unseasonably cold weather conditions that befell the track on Saturday night.
Giovanni Ruggiero proved to be untouchable through the entirety of the Pro Late Model feature while former CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour champion and all-time wins leader Josh Berry returned from his full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series duties to add another victory on his storied résumé after a heated battle with Layne Riggs.
Berry was itching to get back behind the wheel of a Late Model Stock following a frustrating 19th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Friday night.
The path to victory at Greenville-Pickens Speedway proved to be a lot tougher than Berry initially expected, as he had to fight wheel-to-wheel with Riggs for several laps until he finally took advantage of a late spin from Riggs to pull away with his 22nd CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour victory.
“We were good, but we needed to be a little bit better,” Berry said. “Hats off to all these guys and I’m so thankful that I get to race with them. Hopefully Dale [Earnhardt Jr.] was watching and he’ll let me keep driving his late models.”
Berry did everything possible to pass Riggs cleanly during the closing stages, who managed to hold the lead after the competition caution on lap 50 by primarily utilizing the top groove.
With neither driver giving the other any breathing room, contact between Berry and Riggs was inevitable as the laps wound down. That moment came with 18 laps remaining when slight contact between the two forced Riggs to back off going into Turn 3, where he was subsequently spun by Berry’s teammate in Carson Kvapil.
Despite this, Riggs maintained track position and briefly took the top spot back. Unfortunately for Riggs, the performance of his car was hindered by the worn tires, and he rapidly lost time to Berry before the checkered flag flew.
While Berry was disappointed to see Riggs lose control of his car, he was thrilled to simply visit victory lane again.
“This definitely doesn’t hurt,” Berry said. “The last few weeks have been tough, but this is who I am. I’m a short track guy and I’ve done this stuff for a long time. It’s always fun to win and this money will be a great addition for the late model program.”
Although the late contact between him and Carson Kvapil eliminated his hopes for a win, Riggs said his clean but aggressive battle with Berry was one of the best he has ever been a part of and perfectly encapsulated everything great about the CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour.
“No matter what, that was the most fun I’ve ever had in a racecar,” Riggs said. “There couldn’t be two better drivers to put on a show like that for everybody.”
The first CARS Pro Late Model Tour appearance for Giovanni Ruggiero was equal parts conventional and unconventional.
Ruggiero did not make a single mistake after qualifying his No. 81 Anthony Campi Racing Ford on the pole at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, as he led every single lap before a power outage brought the Pro Late Model Tour feature to a premature end after 87 laps.
“We were riding down the backstretch and all of a sudden, we couldn’t see that well,” Ruggiero said. “It’s unfortunate that’s how the race ended but it is what it is. We had such a fast car all weekend and really dominated, so I have to give a big thanks to Anthony Campi and everyone who helps on the car.”
Caden Kvapil finished second, with Brandon Setzer, Luke Fenhaus and Austin MacDonald rounding out the top five.
Both events were broadcast by SPEED SPORT affiliate, CARSTourtv.
The finish:
Josh Berry, Jared Fryar, Carson Kvapil, Layne Riggs, Corey Heim, Chad McCumbee, Carter Langle, Jacob Heafner, Conner Jones, Brandon Pierce, Braden Rogers, Austin Somero, Hayden Swank, Riley Gentry, Zack Miracle, Janson Marchbanks, Justin Johnson, Jonathan Shafer, Bobby McCarty, Cameron Bolin, Kaden Honeycutt, Jonathan Findley, Andrew Grady, Connor Hall, Chase Burrow, Mason Diaz, Magnum Tate, Mike Looney.